


Don't Leave Me

by messedupstargazer



Series: Dating Your Arch-Nemesis [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Barry, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, I'm not a doctor, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Panicked Barry, Protective Joe West, Takes place right after You Still Care, Tears, hurt!Len, mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 06:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9110911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/messedupstargazer/pseuds/messedupstargazer
Summary: Before they can fix things, Barry gets called out and Len ends up right in the thick of it.  Len then gets majorly hurt and Barry is forced to confront his feelings for the man.





	

When Barry woke up, Len was gone. He stuffed down the disappointment since he still wasn’t sure how anything they did could work. Arch-nemeses don’t date, that was the whole point of being nemeses. But he couldn’t deny that seeing Len, even as Captain Cold, just made him feel a little better. He missed Len so badly. Missed curling up with him to watch movies, missed the softness of his lips, missed the comfort of his hugs, missed waking up by his side. He wished Len had stayed, slept in one of those awful chairs so Barry could pretend they were okay before Len woke up. But Len wasn’t there, they couldn’t date and Barry had to live with that. At least, that’s what he told himself.

“Mr. Allen, how are you feeling?” Wells asked.

“Less like I got run over by a truck.” Barry sat up and winced at the pain in his head. It was much less than last night but there was still some slight discomfort. He caught himself wishing Len could kiss it better.

Wells nodded and leaned over to whisper. “Mr. Snart stayed for a little while but then he needed to return to his sister. I could tell he wanted to stay though.”

Barry knew Wells was saying this for Barry's benefit only. Caitlyn and Cisco couldn’t understand, well maybe Cisco because of Lisa but Lisa and Len were completely different people, as were Golden Glider and Captain Cold. A quick thankful nod in Wells direction seemed to satisfy him but curiosity must have remained on his face.

“I was married once too, you know.” Wells stated simply.

Barry blushed but nodded again. Wells took that as his cue to leave and tell Caitlyn, who was always here bright and early, that Barry had woken. Caitlyn checked him over and said that he had basically all healed but soreness would still persist for a little while, as the deeper internal bruises were still healing.

“Is there something you wanna tell me?” Joe’s voice spooked him, he hadn't heard the older man come in.

Barry blushed at his tone. It was the father-if-you-don’t-talk-I'm-grounding-you tone.

“Joe, he’s fine.” Caitlyn stepped in. “He got here in time and everything’s healing.”

“I know he got here in time.” Joe said. “I also know he had help.”

Then he tossed the newspaper he was carrying onto Barry's lap. It seemed someone had snagged a picture of Len as Captain Cold carrying his unconscious body to safety. The headline screamed, “Captain Cold Saves Flash”. Barry sighed.

“Is there something you wanna tell me?” Joe repeated, his voice getting a bit deadlier. “Why is Captain Cold helping you? I thought he wanted to kill you.”

“I don’t have a good answer for you.” Barry said, blushing like mad. He really didn’t want to tell Joe Len was Captain Cold. Joe had met Len a couple times and he didn’t want Joe overreacting.

“Then you better find one.” Joe crossed his arms.

He glanced at Caitlyn who was looking at him sadly. Cisco wasn’t there, probably seeing Joe arrive and hightailing it out of there. Wells was in the other room completely oblivious to the conversation, probably also on purpose.

Barry sighed again and sucked it up. “Len is Captain Cold and he was worried about me when I got hit.”

Joe stared at him, an unreadable expression on his face. “Len? As in the boyfriend of the past several months? The one you wanted to move in with? That Len?”

Barry nodded sheepishly.

“You're dating Captain Cold?” Joe shouted, a mixture of fury and protectiveness in his eyes.

“Well, not anymore.” Barry snapped. “I broke up with him when I found out.”

Joe’s expression went from anger to sadness. “I'm sorry, Bar.”

Barry nodded. “Me too.”

“So you were dating Captain Cold and he helped you after you broke up?” Joe said.

“Yeah.” Barry said. “Apparently, he never wanted me to get hurt, once he found out I was the Flash. He just needed to keep up appearances so I wouldn’t find out we were arch-nemeses. Once I did, he still never wanted to hurt me. And when Hartley attacked me, he couldn’t just stand by.”

Joe nodded and ran a hand over his face. “That’s quite a story.”

Barry shrugged, and he was able to hold back the wince.

“Do you still love him?” Joe’s voice dropped, he was no longer speaking as a cop father, but just as a father.

Barry nodded. “It’s hard to get over someone that quickly.”

“Damn.” Joe swore. “I know you really liked him.”

Joe opened his arms and Barry hugged his father. Joe often initiated touch but never when he was hurt, he didn’t want to hurt Barry further.

Suddenly, Cisco’s meta-human alert went off. Barry sped over to the console and saw a light flashing near Fourteenth Street. A major drop in barometric pressure.

“It’s Mardon.” Barry sighed. “Duty calls.”

“Be careful.” Joe said.

Barry nodded and sped off.

Running always made him feel better. The wind in his face, the feeling of the ground beneath his feet, the sensation of oxygen flowing all around him as he breathed, it was incredible. Still though, Len nagged in his mind. Mardon wasn’t one of Cold’s rogues, his excuse saying that vendettas were not on his agenda. He hoped Len wouldn’t be there. Weather Wizard was a bitch to fight and he had to focus on himself instead of constantly making sure Len was all right. They may not be dating anymore but that didn’t mean he actively wanted Len to get hurt. Especially after that conversation last night. It was so much easier pretending that Len didn't want to see him and was angry and that’s why he was tearing up the city. Instead, Len needed to see him. That was almost worse.

He was so caught up in his thoughts about Len that he overshot it and ended up down Eighteenth Street. He flashed over to fourteenth and ended up in the middle of what looked like an approaching hurricane.

“Flash!” Mardon shouted. “Good of you to join me!”

“Let's just get this over with.” Barry spat, scanning the crowd for a certain blue parka.

Mardon threw lightning at him which he dodged easily. Icicles started to rain down as if pointy versions of hail and embedded themselves in the ground where Barry used to be. Mardon’s attack was almost routine, he could dodge just about anything the man threw at him because of his speed. Barry didn’t want to get cocky, Joe always said cocky cops (and superheroes) got shot for their trouble but this didn’t seem to be very hard. Mardon must not have thought things through. Or maybe he had a partner, like last time, so he had to keep his eyes peeled.

“Is it just us tonight or are we going to have some company?” Barry quipped, not seeing Len's parka and calming down slightly. At least Len wasn’t here and he didn’t have to worry.

“I don’t need anyone else to kill you!” Mardon growled and hurled more icicles his way.

Barry sped away as icicles rained down and delivered a solid punch to Mardon’s face. Mardon went flying and his icicles went everywhere. Mardon stood shakily as blood dripped down from his nose. Barry got in two more punches, scattering lightning and hail as he went, Mardon’s powers going off-kilter when he was hurt.

The final punch to take down Mardon and he heard it. The sound of ice penetrating flesh. A strangled choke. A shuddering exhale. One of Mardon’s icicles hit a _civilian_.

Barry turned quickly, ready to speed to the hospital and felt the blood drain from his face. No blue parka, no black goggles, no cold gun, only jeans and a black turtleneck and blue eyes cold enough to make Barry's knees weak. Not Captain Cold, but Leonard Snart. Leonard Snart with an icicle in his hip, bleeding into his jeans and one in his shoulder, ripping the simple fabric there. Blood soaked into the fabrics as Len's expression turned from neutral to confused. He slowly looked down and saw the icicles.

“Oh.” Len's small gasp was only audible because of Barry's enhanced hearing.

Len titled backwards and Barry caught him, running at top speed, and gently lowered him onto the ground.

“Hey, hey you gotta stay awake.” Barry rambled. “Keep your eyes open. Come on, babe.”

Len's hand came up to touch Barry's face, as if the last thing he wanted to do was hold him one last time, and Len coughed up blood.

“It’ll be okay.” Barry rushed. “It’ll be okay. Just try to breathe. You'll be okay. You'll be okay.”

Their eyes met for a brief moment, brief even for Barry, before Len's eyes rolled back up inside his head and Len went slack, his hand dropping to the pavement below.

“I'm taking him to the hospital.” Barry announced, an excuse to carry him to somewhere safe.

While he was strong, Len was made of almost pure muscle. His hands slipped slightly but he did manage to carry Len in his arms and he started at full speed towards the hospital. He almost never carried people unused to Barry's skill at full speed but Len was getting paler by the second and he couldn’t lose Len, he just couldn’t. The hospital would be able to fix things if there were any damage.

“Stay alive.” Barry pleaded, at top speed where no one could hear him. “I love you. I can't lose you. I love you so goddamn much. Please, I'm begging you, don’t leave me here alone.

He arrived at the hospital in seconds but still it felt like it was too long for Barry.

“I need help here!” Barry shouted, startling many people but emergency crews had gotten a little more used to the Flash as he saved more and more people so they didn’t ask questions but simply got to work.

“Did you get a name?” One female doctor asked as another doctor wheeled in a gurney for Barry to set Len down.

“Leonard, I think.” Barry replied but kept the last name unsure. He didn’t want to disturb Len's alias. Just because he met Len as Leonard Snart doesn’t mean that’s the name he’s using now.

“Leonard, can you hear me?” The doctor asked and Barry almost corrected her. Len almost never went by Leonard. He hated that name.

Wanting to do more, say more, help more but knowing he couldn’t, he nodded at emergency personnel and flashed off. He’d check up on Len later. Right now, he needed to make sure Mardon was down, and if he wasn’t, then put him down like the animal he was.

However, Mardon was already being apprehended by the meta-human unit by the time he got back. Cisco was there, with the boot shooter and Joe beside him. Joe saw him and wanted to come over, he could see it in his father’s face, but Barry gave a quick shake of the head. Barry then obscured his vocal cords and face so he could talk to the other cops and they wouldn’t recognize him.

“Is everything handled?” He asked.

Captain Singh, who was usually called in for meta-human calls, answered him. “Yes. You took the man who was injured to the hospital?”

“I did.” Barry answered, digging his nails into his palm to keep his expression blurred.

“Thank you, Flash.” Singh replied and Barry sped off, getting his suit off and his clothes back on and grabbing his forensics bag. He was back on the scene in a matter of seconds, sneaking up behind the police tape. At normal speed, he acted like he knows nothing about what's happened a few minutes ago. Thankfully, Joe saved him from having to act for too long.

“Barry, we need to get to the hospital.” Joe said, his voice grave.

Barry's fake smile wavered. “Why?”

“It’s Len.” That’s all Joe needed to say. Barry allowed himself to feel a little of the pain he’s been in since he saw Len get hurt.

“What is it?” Barry asked, his voice frantic. “Is he all right? What happened?”

“I'll explain on the way.” Joe said, leading Barry towards the car.

In the car, the silence deafened.

“Are you okay?” Joe asked.

“No.” Barry answered honestly.

“You got him to help in time.” Joe said, trying to be comforting.

“Did I?” Barry asked, turning to look at Joe.

“According to the reports we've been getting, you did.” Joe replied.

That didn’t help the tremors starting to fill Barry's body.

“What am I supposed to say to the hospital staff?” Barry asked. “Hi, I'm Len's ex-boyfriend?”

“For now, it’s better to lie and say you're his significant other.” Joe responded. “I don’t think Snart will mind.”

In fact, Barry knew he wouldn’t mind. Len was the one who tried to stop Barry from leaving and Len openly admitted to still caring for him. Barry knew he still loved Len but he wasn’t sure what to do about it.

The hospital secretary told them when they arrived that Len was still in surgery and directed them to the waiting room. There Barry had to fight not to pace and accidentally go into super speed. About ten minutes later, Cisco and Caitlyn arrived with six bags of Big Belly Burger. He knew this was all for him, stress did not help his metabolism. He didn’t say anything, he just ate as slow as he could despite how hungry he was, now that he noticed he was hungry. He finished the bags in record time for his slowness and then the waiting started to get to him.

“He’ll be okay.” Caitlyn tried. “Fast action is what's needed when someone’s stabbed and you did just that.”

Barry nodded and he felt tears prickling at his eyes. He forced them down, he wasn’t going to cry, not in public and not in front of strangers. Not even in front of his family and friends.

What seemed like an eternity later, he heard a voice call out, “Family of Leonard Snart?”

Barry let Joe all but carry him over to the doctor so he wouldn’t use his super speed. The doctor took one look at Barry and cocked an eyebrow.

“I'm his partner, um, significant other.” Barry said.

“His sister is out of town.” Cisco supplied. “I called her, she’ll be here as soon as she can.”

The doctor nodded. “Leonard survived the surgery,” Barry sagged in relief, “But he still is critical. However, no major arteries were hit and we were able to repair the damage. I would say he’s very lucky. It could have been much worse. If the Flash hadn't gotten him here as fast as he did, we’d be having a very different conversation. But since he did, the odds are Leonard will make a full recovery.”

Barry felt the tears well up again but still he forced them down. “Can we see him?”

“One of you only.” The doctor said. Barry immediately stepped forward. “He’ll be coming out of the anesthesia in a little while so don’t be surprised if he’s still unconscious. And when he does wake up, he’ll be disoriented and drowsy. That’s perfectly normal for this situation.”

Barry nodded. The doctor led him to a little room in ICU and left him alone. Barry had been in many hospital rooms over the years, his father worked in a hospital and then he was the son of a cop, but this was different. Nausea flooded in his stomach, and he felt the unbearable urge to run. Seeing Len made it worse. Len was hooked up to several different machines, a nasal cannula, and a few IVs. Thankfully he didn’t need an intubation tube or else Barry would have thrown up. Barry basically collapsed into the hospital chair. His legs wouldn’t hold him anymore. The faint rise and fall of Len's chest, the steady beeps of the heartbeat machine, and Len's still overly pale skin catapulted Barry into tears. He couldn’t take holding them in anymore. The tears soon evolved into gut-wrenching sobs and Barry grabbed Len's slack hand and laid his head on Len's arm.

“I'm so sorry.” Barry cried. “This is all my fault. I should've noticed. I should've saved you. I should've done something. But I didn’t and now you're hurt. I'm so sorry, Len, I'm so sorry. I love you, okay? I love you, you can't do this. You can't leave. Please. Please stay.”

A slightly discombobulated hand landed in his hair, squeezing faintly. Barry snapped his head up to see a dopily smiling Leonard Snart.

“I'm right here, Bar.” Len murmured.

Barry felt a few more tears slip through and Len tried wiping them away, but with the medication it was more like dragging his fingers against Barry's face but it was worth it. 

“I love you.” Barry managed.

“I love you too, Scarlet.” Len mumbled.

Whatever it was Len was on, it was good. Len never called him Scarlet, unless he was Captain Cold. Len had tried but since that was Cold’s nickname Barry had asked not to use it. It seemed the drugs were blurring Len and Cold together.

“Bar, get out of your head.” Len's voice brought him back. “I want you here with me.”

“I'm right here.” Barry said. “I'm not going anywhere.”

Len smiled that dopey smile again and his eyes fluttered.

“Go to sleep, Len.” Barry said. “I'll be here when you wake up.”

Len sort of nodded before his eyelids slipped closed and his breathing evened out. The worst part was Barry meant that. He wasn’t sure how he was going to explain it to Joe but he’d just have to suck it up. He was an adult, he could make his own choices. Even if the logical side of his mind told him it was a bad idea.

He walked back down to the waiting room where he left the others.

“He’s asleep.” He stated and that was it.

Joe seemed to understand what Barry wasn’t saying. Joe then sent Caitlyn and Cisco to get the car.

“You gonna stay the night?” Joe asked.

Barry nodded.

“Okay.” Joe said, and at Barry's surprised expression he continued. “I know how much you love him. I could see it before you found out he was Captain Cold. Also, Wells told me of that a little of that conversation you two had last night. Nothing too personal, but enough for me to know you're not going to stop fighting for each other. And honestly, I've never seen you happier than with him.. Not even Iris. I very much dislike his career but I can give him the shovel talk after he’s healed.”

“Are you just saying this because he’s injured?” Barry asked.

“I'm saying some of it because he’s injured.” Joe admitted. “But I'm also saying it because I can see that this is tearing you apart. I'd rather see you love someone like him who's good to you than see you in pain because of someone who's not. And from everything that happened yesterday and what you told me, he’s good to you.”

Barry gave a watery smile. Joe didn’t hesitate before pulling him into a hug, knowing Barry had already healed from the day before.

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there but eventually he pulled back.

“I should get back up there.” Barry explained.

Joe nodded. “I'll talk to Singh and tell him you're gonna be here for the next couple days.”

“Thanks, Joe.” Barry said and went back up to Len's hospital room.

He sat back down in one of the awful hospital chairs, pulled up as close as he could to Len's side, and waited for Len to wake up again. He laced their hands together, nausea rising at the lifelessness of Len's, and kissed it gently.

“Come back to me, Len.” Barry whispered.

Len made no move to prove he heard Barry.

“So you approve of this?” A quiet voice broke through the darkness. Barry felt himself resting against a warm surface, and although his neck was killing him he didn’t want to move. He wished whoever was talking would shush because he wanted to go back to sleep.

“Of course not.” Barry was waking up more and he recognized Joe’s voice. “But someone had to say the things he needed to hear. At least, at the time. Now might be a different story, Snart.”

“Hush, West.” Len hissed. “You'll wake him, if you haven't already.”

Now fully awake, Barry tried to regulate his breathing, feigning sleep.

“Don’t even try it, Bar.” Len sounded annoyed if a little weak. “He and I both know when you're faking.”

Caught, Barry blushed and lifted his head up. Len's piercing blue eyes, though still slightly glazed from the pain medication, made him smile in relief.

“Hey.” Barry croaked out. “Good to see you.”

Barry then sat up and a blanket dropped down his back. He stared blearily at it. Joe rolled his eyes fondly and then put it back over Barry's shoulders.

“The nurses noticed you essentially just passed out.” Len murmured.

“I told them you haven't slept in a while because of your job.” Joe added. “They see chronic fatigue a lot in cops so they just took my word for it.”

“Thanks.” Barry coughed, still blushing. “I just…”

_I just couldn’t leave your side._

“I know.” Len smiled as if he knew. Actually, he probably did as he was in almost the same position just two nights ago.

Barry gave a watery smile back.

“Joe can you give us a minute?” Barry asked.

Joe pursed his lips. “You already know I don’t approve of this.”

Barry glanced at Len who frowned.

“However, even if I didn’t like Len, you always did.” Joe continued. “I suppose if you want to continue whatever this is, he makes you happy and I accept that. I don’t approve of you dating a criminal but for acceptance will have to do. That does not mean that if he does anything, I won't hesitate to shoot him.”

Barry tried to suppress a snort and failed.

“I don’t think I have the ability to do that at the moment.” Len's voice sounded as if he were trying to sound as dry as Captain Cold but the medication made that difficult.

Joe nodded at Len, kissed Barry's temple, whispered, “Be careful with your heart, not just your head” and left the room.

“I suppose you're going to want to finish the conversation we started.” Len mumbled.

“That would be nice.” Barry agreed lightly, though he knew he would start shaking soon.

“Do you still love me?” Len asked, his voice unconsciously betraying the fear he was feeling. Barry knew that was the meds, Len was always guarded about his feelings as both himself and Captain Cold.

“No matter how much I try, I don’t think I can ever stop.” Barry answered.

Len's mouth quirked as if he was suppressing a smile. Why Barry wasn’t sure.

“Do you still love me?” Barry asked, a tremor in his voice that hadn't been there before.

“I never stopped.” Len said. “As I said before, you were the one who ran away that night.”

Barry blushed. “Yeah, I could've handled that better.”

“Told you.” Len murmured.

“You were right.” Barry said, which he knew Len always loved to hear. “But I still think that I was justified in being hurt and scared. Because I thought I was being lied too again. And I was. After all, I didn’t know you weren't aiming to kill.”

“Fair point.” Len admitted.

“And I am still a CSI while you are still a criminal.” Barry said. “That does put me in a tight spot.”

“Technically, Leonard Snart is just a slightly well-off architect.” Len shrugged, then winced.

“Don’t move.” Barry rushed to ease the tension off of Len's shoulders, though the action itself was mostly useless.

“I realized that.” Len hissed, pain marring his resilient face.

“I'm so sorry.” Barry said, trying to hold back sobs. Seeing Len in pain made his heart twist.

“You didn’t make Mardon hit me, it’s not your fault.” Len murmured.

“No, it is.” Barry choked out. “If I hadn't run away, you wouldn’t have been so worried that you had to check up on me when I was the Flash.”

“I would've been there either way.” Len said, bringing his hands to Barry's face. “I've always liked to see you when I'm close to the Flash. Even before I knew who you were, but that was so I could make sure no one else got you but me.”

Tears slipped down Barry's cheeks and Len just wiped them away.

“So I was only _your_ arch-nemesis.” Barry gave a watery chuckle.

“Exactly.” Len smiled. “Don’t cry, baby.”

Barry just cried harder.

“Am I still not allowed to call you that?” Len asked.

“No, you can call me that all you want, Len.” Barry leaned down and touched their foreheads together. “But how are we gonna do this? I'm a hero and you're a criminal.”

Len frowned but kept staring straight into Barry's eyes. “I don’t know.”

“You never answered me that night.” Barry pressed. “Are you willing to give up being Captain Cold?”

Len was silent for a while. This time though, Barry forced himself to be patient, a skill that lessened with his speed.

“I don’t know.” Len said, his voice strangled. “I've never really had to think about it.”

“Not even when I revealed I was the Flash?” Barry asked.

“Then I knew I had to keep going no matter what.” Len replied. “I couldn’t bear it if you hated me for what I did to Cisco, Caitlyn or all the times I've tried to kill you. I was trying to protect you, from all the enemies of Captain Cold, but mostly I was only protecting myself. I didn’t want you to leave me for being Captain Cold and I thought the best way to do that was to hide who I was from you.”

Barry sighed. If anything, he understood.

“I know how that is.” Barry said. “After all, I didn’t tell you I was the Flash because I wasn’t sure how you'd react. Linda couldn’t handle it, Patty couldn’t handle it, Iris could barely handle it and we weren't even dating. I didn’t want you to hate me either.”

Len scoffed lightly. “We’re both a bunch of idiots aren't we?”

“I guess we are.” Barry chuckled.

“I love you.” Len started. “But, and I want to be honest here, I don’t know exactly how this could work.”

“You could always become a hero?” Barry offered.

Len gave him a dry look. “You and I both know that’s not in the cards. I'm too evil.”

“Len, you're not evil.” Barry snapped. “Sure, you've been cold, callous, and a little cruel”

“Alliteration much?” Len snarked.

Barry rolled his eyes and continued, “But you were never evil.”

Len smiled. “You're too good, Scarlet. You've always been too good. Even as Cold, I worried the world would corrupt you. I worried I would corrupt you.”

“Before or after you knew?” Barry asked.

“After.” Len replied. “At first, it was a game, see how far I could take you. See how long it took to ruin you. Then all I saw out there was the man I love putting his life on the line for bystanders. I'm not that noble and I'm certainly not that innocent.”

“Maybe Captain Cold isn't but Len Snart certainly is.” Barry chided. “I mean, we did meet while you were in the process of getting a kite down from a tree.”

Len blushed, which was a rare sight. “Little girl reminded me of Lisa.”

“I know, you told me.” Barry put his hand on Len's and let him lace them together. “About how her favorite doll broke and big brother came in to fix it with some medicinal duct tape. You know that’s one of my favorite stories of you two, right?”

“I know, you told me.” Len echoed.

Barry smiled. “Come on. You can go from Captain Cold supervillain to Captain Cold superhero. Won't be that hard. Won't even have to change your name.”

“I don’t know, Scarlet.” Len sighed. “It’s hard to ask a man to leave everything he’s ever known. Doesn’t mean I'm not willing to do it for you but doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Fair enough.” Barry conceded. “Asking me to become a criminal for you, if the situation were reversed, would be an incredibly hard decision.”

“Would you?” Len asked. “If the situation were reversed?”

“I don’t know.” Barry said. “Are we talking I'm the one who almost died because of you or just come to the dark side we have cookies?”

“I didn’t almost die because of you.” Len said.

“You were there to check up on me.” Barry countered.

“I was there because I was going to buy some socks.” Len said, a blush peppering his cheeks. “I need some thick socks for my boots. I tore a hole in my last pair.”

Barry burst out laughing. Len just glared at him.

“That was your fault.” Len growled.

“How was it my fault?” Barry laughed.

“You made Mick point his gun at my feet which shrunk my socks which made them rip.” Len tried.

“Mick is Heatwave?” Barry asked. “Actually, now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense.”

“Doesn’t it?” Len smirked.

“I'd hit you but it would hurt more than I would want it to.” Barry said.

Len smiled. “By the way, the dark side always has cookies. Which you consume at an extremely unhealthy rate.”

Barry shook his head fondly.

“But, in all seriousness, assume it’s the first one.” Len said, his voice growing colder. Barry then groaned internally at his unintentional pun. “But it still wasn’t your fault I was there.”

Barry then sighed. “This is all hypothetical, right?”

Len nodded. “I know you, yourself, would never sway from that side of the law. And I'm not asking you too.”

Barry nodded and thought. If Len asked, would he truly run away from everything he knew? Would he turn to the dark side for those luscious lips, strong arms, firm ass, and those piercing blue eyes that made Barry's knees weak? Would he turn to the dark side for Len's arms around him on bad nights, for Len's soft kisses, for the way Len's hands would run through his hair, for the way Len whispered good night to him, for the way he was always prepared with food and just the right kind of company when he was dealing with Flash stuff, for the way Len slipped into bed with him and wrapped his arms around him bringing him close, and for the way he always felt so loved when he looked into Len's eyes?

“Hypothetically, I would.” Barry said. “Sometimes, not so hypothetically, but I could never leave Joe and Iris they’re my family.”

Len nodded. “Just as I could never leave Lisa and Mick.”

They were silent for a little while.

“What if we reached a compromise?” Len asked. “I don’t stop thieving, you don’t stop trying to stop me, but we still come together every night?”

“I don’t know.” Barry sighed. “I mean, I think I'd be okay with that but I know Joe and Iris and Cisco and Caitlyn wouldn’t. Wells wouldn’t care but I don’t think I have to take in his opinion.”

Len nodded. “Ach, Lisa and Mick would never agree. Lisa likes your friend but not enough to go straight for him. This has been our way of life since I was fifteen.”

Barry sighed. “So what do we do? I can't go on like this, but I'm not giving up on you. I thought I could and I know now I can’t lose you. Seeing you hurt was one of the worst moments of my life. I couldn’t take it. My heart almost burst.”

“I'm sorry Scarlet.” Len said.

“Please stop calling me that.” Barry snapped. “When you're Cold that’s okay but it doesn’t feel right coming out of Len's mouth.”

“Okay, babe.” Len said, and Barry knew he was testing the endearment.

Barry smiled in return, relishing how that nickname felt. No one had ever called him babe like that, not even Patty.

“I'd kiss you but I think that would alert the nurses.” Barry said.

Len nodded. “Probably would.”

“I just wanted you to know I'd like to kiss you again.” Barry replied.

“As would I.” Len said dryly. Barry rolled his eyes fondly.

“How about a compromise for now?” Barry offered. “We can work out the details for after you're healed but that’ll be at least a month with that wound. So how about you take off heisting while you're hurt, and you just talk to Mick and Lisa and get their opinions. That way we can move forward with all the cards on the table.”

Len pondered for a little while. “That makes sense. It’ll have to be slow, Mick doesn’t quit anything cold turkey, but I can ask.”

Barry smiled and leaned forward. “Seal it with a kiss?”

Len tilted his head and fireworks went off behind Barry's eyes. Len's lips were slightly chapped, and he wasn’t wearing his usual cologne that made Barry go wild, but it was still one of the better kisses of his life. It meant more than the others, a compromise to keep them together. Barry pulled back first, though he never wanted to pull away again.

“Your heartbeats going wild.” Barry explained and a nurse appeared in the doorway.

The nurse ran a quick once-over of Len then and sighed. “Be careful when you kiss him, okay? Make sure he breathes enough and I know this is hard, but try to keep them short.”

Barry and Len exchanged glances.

“What?” The nurse snorted. “You think you're the only ones who want to kiss their significant other in the hospital? I mean, come on, it’s been a literary trope for years.”

Barry blushed and Len smirked.

With a final glance to the pair of them, he left.

“You're turning scarlet, Scarlet.” Len murmured, as if unable to resist.

“Oh hush.” Barry growled, his blush deepening.

Len squeezed his hand and Barry squeezed back.

The click-clack sound of heels on LVT, turned Barry's head and he saw Lisa racing inside. Relief sagged her shoulder as she entered the room and Barry quickly got out of the seat so she could sit down.

“How you feeling, Lenny?” Lisa asked, her voice slightly below desperate.

“Better.” Len answered. “I'm not dying anymore.”

“You better not.” Lisa said, her eyes filling with tears.

Knowing he was stepping in on a private moment between the siblings, Barry made a move to exit.

“Wait.” Lisa called. “Barry, right?”

Barry stopped and nodded.

Lisa ran forward and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you for staying with him when I couldn’t be here.” Lisa whispered into his ear. “It means a lot. Not just to me but to him too.”

Barry nodded in her embrace, his voice failing him.

When Lisa finally let him go, tears were at the edge of his eyes too.

“I'll come see you later.” Barry promised.

Len nodded and then allowed his focus to be on his sister. Barry walked down to the lobby and once he was out of sight of the emergency personnel, he sped home, hope blossoming in his chest for the first time in weeks.


End file.
